Walter s



- UNITED STATES PATENT 'OFFICE.

IVALTER S. ADAMS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE J. G. BRILL COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

ACTUATING DEVICE FOR CAR-BRAKES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 424,160, dated March 25, 1890.

Application filed February 18, 1890. Serial No. 340,909. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WALTER S. ADAMS, of the city and county of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Actuating Devices for Oar-Brakes, &c., of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements, as hereinafter claimed, in mechanism adapted for actuating car-brakes, the gripping devices of endless-cable railways, &c.; and my object is to improve such devices of the type shown in the application, Serial No. 339,437, for United States Letters Patent of John A. Brill, filed February 6, 1890, the invention covered by which is prior in date to my improvements, which involve the employment of a sectional lever, the two sections of which are jointed together, and means by the actuations of which the lever-sections may be connected so as to be rocked together in one direction or be left free to rock independently of each other.

In the accompanying drawings, which show only those'features deemed necessary for illustration of my improvements as adapted for operating the brakes of street-railway cars, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation; Fig. 2, a section on the line 2 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 a detail view showing in plan the pawls for engagement with the ratchets of the supplemental section of the controlling-lever.

The brake-actuating devices are supported by connection with the platform or flooring A of a car, and the controlling-lever of these devices is made in two parts, consisting of the main section or handle portion B and the lever or supplemental section B The leversections have jointed connection with each other and with the platform or flooring constituting their support by way of a two-part down-hanger or pendent sectional bracket 0, secured beneath the flooring-support A, and a pin or pivot C, carried by this bracket, pivoting the lever-sections together and forming the fulcrum on which the lever rocks. The flooring-support is provided with a slot to allow of the proper rocking movements of the controlling-lever.

In order that the supplemental section of the controlling-lever may be locked in its position of adjustment when, in actuating the brakes, the lever is operated, as in turn to be described, and that the sections of the lever may be connected so as to be rocked together in one direction as though made of a single piece, while providing also for independent movement, as desired, of the sections about their jointed connection, simple, strong, durable, and inexpensive devices are provided, as now to be explained.

The inner end of the supplemental section of the jointed controlling-lever is widened and bifurcated and receives between its forks F F the lower end of the main section of the lever, which is provided with the end slot or .open bearing 1) for engagement with the pivot The main section of the lever is thus:

0. adapted to be readily removed and adjusted in position. The forked inner end of the sup-.

plemental lever-section is curved and shouldered and provided with teeth constituting two pairs of concentric segmental ratchets G G and g g, the pair of ratchets G G being formed on the extreme curved end of the supplemental lever-section and the other or inner pair g g of slightly less radius than the outer pair, being on the shouldered portion of the lever-section. Double pawls Hand I, pivoted, respectively, to the flooring-support and main section of the controlling lever, serve to engage with their respective pairs of ratchets G G and g g, the pawl-and-ratchet connection 11' G G between the supplemental lever-section and flooring-support serving to lock said lever-section in its position of adjustment, and the pawl-and-ratchet connec-' tion I g 9 serving to couple the lever-sections together, so that movement in one direction of the main lever-section may be imparted to the supplemental lever-section. Controlling devices by which the pawls may be disengaged from their ratchets consist, as shown, of a trip-handle J, pivoted to the main leversection near the handle thereof, and a rod or link K, connecting the trip-handle with the pawlI, through or by way of connection with which the pawlII is tripped. This trippingconnection between the pawls is such that the pawl I may be tripped or disengaged from its ratchets without disengaging the pawl II from its ratchets. The tripping-connection IOC between the pawls, as shown, is formed by laterally-projecting lugs h of the pawl II, extending above the pawl I and at a slight distance from it when the parts occupy their normal positions, in which they are represented by the drawings. Thus it will be seen an upward movement of the pawl I to an extent suflicient to trip it or release it from its ratchets may be imparted by rocking the trip-handle without tripping the pawl I-l, whereas by a further upward movement of the lever-pawl I it is caused to bear against the trip-lugs h, by way of which the pawl II is released from its ratchets by continuing the upward movement of the lever-pawl.

The supplemental section of the controlling-lever, as shown, is provided with an cecentrically-curved or cam-like grooved outer portion or end L, with a chain M attached thereto, by way of which connection may be made with the brake-shoes to be operated.

Although I prefer the construction and arrangement of parts above described, I do not wish to be understood as confining my invention to the precise details set forth, as my improvements may be modified in some respects while retaining important novel fea tures of my iiwention-as, for instance, by dispensing with one ratchet of each pair G G and g g, and employing single or one-tooth pawls instead of the double pawls; by omitting the shouldering of the inner end of the supplemental lever-section and making the ratchets flush with each other or of the same radius, and by substituting a mere arm for the curved outer end of the supplemental lever-section for attachment in any suitable well-known way with the brake mechanism, &c., to be actuated.

In operation, (assuming the positions of parts to be as shown in Fig. 1,) to apply the brakes, the handle or main lever-section is moved to the right, thus moving the supplemental lever-section (now coupled with the main lever-section by the pawland -ratchet connection I g) in the opposite direction and operating on the brakes through the connection between them and the lever. The pawl I-I locks the supplemental lever-section in the position into which it is thrown. By tripping this pawl the brake mechanism is freed from control. \Vhen, however, because of the limited space allowed for movement of the lever, a single actuation of it may be insufiicient to apply the brakes, the main lever-section is moved in the opposite direction or to the left, (the pawl I during this movement sliding over the ratchets and uncoupling the leversections,) and is then again moved in the direction for applying the brakes, the leversections becoming automatically coupled. In

reversing the movement of the main leversection preparatory to renewing its action the pawl H holds the supplemental lever-section in the position to which it was moved by the first actuation. Unlike the operation of the devices shown in the before-mentioned application of John A. Brill, in releasing the brake mechanism the lever-sections are uncoupled before instead of after the release of the supplemental lever-section by its holding-pawl II, and I thus render impossible any accident which might arise by failure to uncouple the lever sections in releasing the brake.

By making the cam-like outer portion or grooved end L of the lever-section B (see Fig. 1) of greatest radius-that is, to extend farthest from its pivot C'about mid way the length of the chain-groove or intermediate its extremities Zen, and so curving this end L as to make the front extremity m, to which the chain is attached, not only of slightly less radius than the intermediate portion, but of greater radius than the opposite or rear extremity 1, it will be seen that in applying the brakes the lever may be started with but slight exertion, the slack of the chain next be rapidly taken up, and then as the chaincomes to bear upon that portion of its groove toward the extremityl the leverage becomes increased to enable the operator to readily exert the desired force for applying the brakes. Obviously, instead of making the front extremity m of less radius than the intermediate portion of the chain-groove, so as to facilitate overcoming inertia in starting, this extremity and the intermediate portion may be of the same radius, while still providing for increasing leverage toward the extremity l, as above explained. It will further be seen that by means of the detachable or open hearing connection between the main lever-section and its pivot this section of the lever, together with its attached pawl and pawlcontrolling devices, may readily be detached or disconnected from the supplemental leversection and quickly applied for use in 0011- nection with a similar supplemental section. In this way expense is lessened by providing for using the main lever-section alternately in dilferent positions, as at the opposite ends of a car.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination, in devices for actuating car-brakes, &c., of the jointed controllinglever composed of a main section and a supplemental section having the ratchets at its inner end and adapted for connection with the mechanism to be actuated by the lever, and the pawls for engagement with the ratchets of the supplemental lever-section, the actuations of which the lever-sections are coupled and uncoupled and the supplemental lever-section locked and released, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, in devices for actuating car-brakes, &c., of the jointed controllinglever composed of a main section and a supplemental section having the ratchets at its inner end and adapted for connection with the mechanism to be actuated by the lever, the pawls for engagement with the ratchets of the supplemental lever-section, and by the and by actuations of which the lever-section s are coupled and uncoupled and the supplemental lever-section locked and released, the trip ping-connection between the pawls, and the pawl-controlling devices by the actuations of which the lever-sections are uncoupled preparatory to freeing the supplemental leversection from its holding-pawl, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, in devices for actuating car-brakes, &c., of the'jointed vertically-- at its front andinterm ediate portion, the pawlv and-ratchet connections by which the lever sections are coupled and uncoupled, and the supplemental lever-section locked and released, and the chain attached to the front extremity of the cam-grooved end of the sup-' plemental lever-section, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. I11 devices for actuating car-brakes, &c.,

the combination of the jointed controlling-lever composed of the main section and the supplemental section, with the ratchets, the pawl and pawl-controlling devices on the main lever-section, and the pawl on the platformsupport provided with a lug projecting over the pawl carried by the main leversection, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In devices for actuating car-brakes, &c., the combination, substantially as set forth, of the main lever-section, the supplemental leversection, the fulcrum-pivot about which the lever-sections rock and with which the main lever-section has the detachable or op en bearingconnection, the pawl-and-ratchet connection between the supplemental leversection and the platform-support, the pawl carried by the main lever-section and" having ratchet engagement with the supplemental lever-section, and the pawl-controlling devices carried by the main lever-section, whereby said main section and its attached pawl and pawl-controlling devices may be used in difierent positions, as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

WALTER S. ADAMS.

Witnesses:

TH. RANDALL, P. K. ANDREWS. 

